Department for Transport

Railways: Compensation

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they have given the rail industry an exemption that allows that industry a year longer than the aviation industry to comply with the provisions of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 in respect of compensation for delays or cancellations to services; and whether they plan to extend that exemption to providers of bus and coach services.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government has decided that the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) should apply in full to all transport services, including mainline passenger rail services, from 1 October 2016. The 12 month exemption from one of the compensation provisions in the Consumer Rights Act was originally proposed to allow time for train operators to move to a consistent compensation scheme. However, the Government is now of the view that rail customers should not be denied any consumer rights or protections even for a temporary period while the rail industry works to put in place more consistent compensation arrangements between train operators. The Government has therefore withdrawn the draft statutory instrument which was to have been debated by Parliament and which, if approved, would have put this exemption in place.

Driving under Influence

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimates they have made of the costs of road traffic accidents associated with alcohol to (1) the NHS, (2) the emergency services, (3) the police, (4) the justice system, (5) the benefits system, and (6) individual victims.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Department for Transport publishes estimates of the average cost to society of road traffic accidents as part of the Transport Analysis Guidance (called WebTAG). The cost is broken down into six elements. Three of these elements are casualty-related:lost output/cost to the economymedical and ambulance costshuman costs The remaining three are accident-related:police costsinsurance and administration costsdamage to property The human cost element is estimated using evidence of individuals’ willingness to pay for a marginal reduction in their risk of suffering a road traffic accident. The other components are estimated using official data sources. The Department has not made any estimate of the costs of road traffic accidents to the justice system or the benefits system. However, it is likely that these will be small in comparison with human and lost output costs. The table below gives an estimate of the costs for each of the six WebTAG elements for all reported personal-injury accidents in Great Britain where at least one driver was over the alcohol limit. The figures are based on accidents that occurred in 2014 as this is the most recent year for which final drink drive accident statistics are available. The totals are in 2016 prices. Total value of prevention of reported accidents when at least one driver is over the alcohol limit, Great Britain, 2014£million in 2016 pricesAccident severityPolice costsInsurance and adminDamage to propertyLost outputHuman costsMedical and ambulanceTotalFatal4.40.12.7150.6287.30.3445.4Serious2.10.24.925.9178.015.7226.7Slight2.70.615.017.684.07.5127.4   799.5

Railways: Fares

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether train operating companies are required to offer the cheapest relevant ticket to passengers at ticket offices, on websites and from ticket machines; and if so, what action they are taking to make sure that this happens in all cases.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Rail passengers are protected by the National Rail Conditions of Carriage and also the terms of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (TSA), an inter-operator agreement that governs, among other things, the retail of rail tickets. These provisions safeguard passengers’ interests by requiring train operators to provide clear information and to sell the most suitable ticket for their journey. This will, in many cases, be the cheapest ticket. Operators are required, under the terms of the TSA, to ask sufficient suitable questions in order to ascertain and sell the best ticket for each passenger’s needs. There are a wide range of tickets on offer, including some very low-priced fares which allow more people to travel by rail. However, we recognise that this choice can often be confusing for passengers. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) have worked with industry to develop a Code of Practice on ticket retailing, this was published in March 2015. The aim of this Code is to give passengers clearer information and access to the most appropriate tickets, regardless of the sales channel. . Working alongside the ORR in its role as consumer regulator, we continue to challenge the industry to address the remaining issues as soon as possible. The Rail Minister has also raised this with the Rail Delivery Group that represents all train operating companies as there is clearly more to be done.

Railways: Fares

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether train operating companies (TOCs) are required to make available split ticketing options when they are cheaper for a journey than the purchase of a single ticket; if so, what action they are taking to make sure that this happens in all cases; and if not, whether they will recommend it to the TOCs.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Rail passengers should always be able to get the best deal and the industry must work harder to make this a reality. We are aware that there are a number of routes in England for which it can be cheaper to purchase two or more tickets for individual parts of the route than a through ticket for the entire journey. Anyone is entitled to purchase two or more separate tickets for their journey so long as the train they are travelling on stops at the stations indicated at the end of each ticket. Train operators are obliged to sell the most appropriate through fare based on the information the passenger gives them. This will depend on what time the passenger wants to travel and how flexible they need to be. The National Rail Conditions of Carriage, which form the basis of the contract you enter into when you buy a rail ticket, allow passengers to use combinations of tickets. However, it is vital that industry improve information available to passengers and the Rail Minister will be raising this with the Rail Delivery Group as a priority.

A55

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many fatalities there were on the A55 in Wales in (1) 2010, (2) 2011, (3) 2014 and (4) 2015.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The number of road traffic fatalities on the A55 in Wales in each year since 2010 are as follows: Number of fatalities201020112012201320142015  122123

Department for Communities and Local Government

Sleeping Rough

Lord Chadlington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to provide sanitary products to women sleeping rough.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: One person without a home is one too many, and nobody should ever have to sleep rough. That is why we have increased central investment to tackle homelessness over the next four years to £139 million, including a new £10 million fund to support innovative ways to prevent and reduce rough sleeping, and a new £10 million Social Impact Bond to support rough sleepers with the most complex needs.We recognise that the needs of female rough sleepers can be different from male rough sleepers, and we expect local authorities to commission services to meet the needs of all those in their local areas. Many commission female-only homelessness projects, which offer women the essential facilities and support they need.

Regional Planning and Development: North of England

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what projects are currently included under the Northern Powerhouse label.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Northern Powerhouse is a long-term project to help address the productivity gap in the North and ensure we build an economy that works for everyone. It covers a huge range of policy functions including investing in transport, supporting international trade, devolving powers from Whitehall to local areas and much more beyond. Please see attached for a list of examples.



Government working with local Partners to Support 
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Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what aspects of the Hinckley Point project could not have been fully considered in advance of EDF agreeing to proceed with the contract.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The then DECC Secretary of State reviewed all aspects of the project in October 2015 and gave a minded to decision. The Government is now considering all component parts to make a final decision.

Summertime

Lord Tanlaw: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to review the use of British Summer Time, and what assessment they have made of the possible impact of maintaining BST throughout the year.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government has no plans to review the use of British Summer Time. In 2012, the Government published a review of the available evidence concerning the likely effects of moving to Central European Time (also known as Daylight Saving time) in the UK. This is attached, but is also available on the Government website at the following link. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/34587/12-1036-review-evidence-putting-clocks-forward.pdf 



Review on Daylight Saving time
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Sellafield: Safety

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the BBC Panorama programme broadcast on 5 September concerning safety and its management at Sellafield; whether they plan to take any remedial action in the light of that programme; and if so, what.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government disagrees with Panorama’s presentation of safety at Sellafield. The site is a legacy of the UK’s early nuclear programmes. The independent Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has confirmed that it remains safe. The Government’s objective is to decommission its facilities safely, cost-effectively and as quickly as possible. This is an enormously complex task, but we are making significant progress and we expect that to continue. Our nuclear industry is one of the most highly regulated in the world and the ONR inspects all civil nuclear sites on a regular basis to ensure high levels of safety. The ONR have stated that hazard and risk reduction at Sellafield remains their number one priority, with over 50 highly qualified and experienced inspectors working to ensure the site operates as safely and securely as possible.

Natural Gas: Imports

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much Russian gas is directly imported into the UK; and what percentage of overall national gas consumption that represents.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: There are no pipelines that allow Russian gas to flow from Norway (our biggest source of imports) or via shipped Liquefied Natural Gas (which comes mainly from Qatar). Some gas of Russian origin may enter via pipelines from Belgium and the Netherlands. However Belgium has reported virtually no Russian gas imports over the past 3 years. The Netherlands does report some Russian imports, but we estimate Russian gas via this route would account for less than 1 per cent of the UK’s gas imports, and therefore much less than 1 per cent of our total gas supply.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Kashmir

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to ensure that any civil or military co-operation between the UK and the government of India does not contribute to human rightsabuses in Kashmir.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are committed to working with India to deliver prosperity and security for our nations. This includes growing trade links, supporting economic reform, deepening our cooperation on security and counter terrorism, encouraging student exchange and strengthening bilateral links. We ensure that such cooperation supports the UK’s values and is consistent with our domestic and international human rights obligations.

Kashmir

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure thateffective pressure is brought to bear on local government organisations in Jammu and Kashmir to expedite arrangements totreat civilians reportedly injured or hospitalised in violence in the state during July and August.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: I was saddened by reports of unrest and violence in Kashmir in July and August and again offer my condolences to the victims and their families. The UK abides by its commitments under international law and expects all countries to comply with their international legal obligations.

Kashmir

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have had discussions with local government organisations in Jammu and Kashmir about the unmarked graves in northKashmir where civilians or combatants were buried between 2006 and 2009.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK has not had discussions with local government organisations about this issue.

India: Torture

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made representations to the government of India encouraging it to (1) ratify the UN Convention against Torture and its optional protocols; and (2) permit a visit to India, including Jammu and Kashmir, by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK engages on human rights matters with India, both bilaterally and through the EU-India Human Rights dialogue. We continue to call on the Indian government to expedite the ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture and its Optional Protocol, and adopt robust domestic legislation to this effect. The UK made a specific recommendation on this issue during India’s Universal Periodic Review in May 2012. The EU Delegation in Delhi has also hosted a number of events on the importance of ratifying the Convention.

Locarno Group

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Locarno Group was last convened.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Locarno Group was formed in 2011. It consists of former senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and functions as a high-level advisory group for the Foreign Secretary – offering strategic support and challenge on foreign policy issues.The Locarno Group has met formally on eight occasions, most recently on 26 January 2015.

Yemen: Military Intervention

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Saudi-led coalition regarding attacks on medical facilities in Yemen, and what their policy is on that issue.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of reports of alleged airstrikes on medical facilities in Yemen. It is important that the Saudi-led Coalition conducts thorough and conclusive investigations into incidents where it is alleged that International Humanitarian Law has been breached. They have the best insight into their own military procedures and will be able to conduct the most thorough and conclusive investigations. This is the standard we set ourselves and our allies. The Saudi led Coalition Joint Investigations Assessment Team announced the outcome of 8 investigations on 4 August.

North Korea: Guided Weapons

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of North Korea’s launch of three ballistic missiles on 5 September.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) ballistic missile launches of 5 September are a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs). The DPRK’s repeated provocations in 2016 are a threat to regional stability and international security. The UN Security Council statement of 6 September, which the UK fully supports, clearly demonstrates that the international community is united and will not tolerate this destabilising behaviour. We urge the DPRK to abide by UNSCRs and return to credible and authentic discussions on its nuclear and ballistic missile programme.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Football: Governing Bodies

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the success of Team GB at the Rio Olympics, and of Wales in the European Football Championship, whether they will review the effectiveness of the governance of English football.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: Team GB success at Rio and the achievement of the Welsh football team reaching the semi-final at the European Championships have ensured a memorable summer for sport. Government wants English football to enjoy similar success on the international stage and we are targeting public funding at grassroots sport through increased investment in facilities, coaching and projects that boost participation. The Football Association, like all UK sports bodies and organisations that want to continue to receive public funding, will have to adhere to the new Code of Governance announced in the government's sport strategy, Sporting Future, in December 2015. The code aims to ensure that the highest levels of transparency, ethical standards and leadership are present across sport in this country.

Department for Work and Pensions

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Baroness Altmann: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of women who are in hardship as a result of the decision to change women’s state pension age.

Lord Freud: The welfare system provides a safety net for those of working age and there are a range of benefits tailored to individual circumstances. The system is designed to deal with the problems which affect those most in need and takes into account difficulty in finding work, disability and caring responsibilities. No figures are available as to why claimants apply for help to the benefits system. Independent analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has shown that the rise in women’s State Pension age since 2010 has been accompanied by increases in employment rates for the women affected.

Fibromyalgia: Social Security Benefits

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether applicants suffering from Fibromyalgia are refused benefits because the condition is not recognised as sufficiently serious to cause disability.

Lord Freud: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognises Fibromyalgia as a real and potentially significantly disabling condition. Where a clinical diagnosis of Fibromyalgia has been made full account will be taken of its functional effects when determining benefit entitlement.

Occupational Pensions

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the possible impact of Brexit on workers' pensions.

Lord Freud: The period since the referendum has seen movements in market conditions that could have a material impact on pension schemes funding positions. However, the precise effect will depend on a number of factors including how assets are allocated and the approach to hedging. It is important to remember that pensions are invested in the long-term. We continue to monitor the impact.

Ministry of Defence

Refugees: Mediterranean Sea

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many migrants have been rescued by British ships because they have found themselves in difficulty crossing the Mediterranean or Adriatic seas.

Earl Howe: In total, British ships have rescued over 24,000 migrants in the Mediterranean since April 2015.

HMS Ambush

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan HMS Ambush to be fully operational.

Earl Howe: HMS AMBUSH is undergoing repairs at Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde.It is UK policy that we do not comment on matters relating to submarine activity or operations as this would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Patrol Craft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the planned in-service dates for the offshore patrol vessels presently on order or planned; and how much each vessel will cost.

Earl Howe: In August 2014, the Ministry of Defence placed a contract valued at £348 million with BAE Systems on the Clyde for the procurement of three River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). On current plans, we expect these three vessels to enter service between 2018 and 2019.The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 set out the Government's plan to build two additional OPVs and we have begun the planning work necessary to contract for these additional ships. As with all equipment procurement programmes, the cost and schedule are set at the main investment decision, and we have not yet reached that decision point.

Type 45 Destroyers

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Royal Navy’s Type 45 fleet will be fully operational after modifications to their electrical propulsion systems.

Earl Howe: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 19 April 2016 to Question number HL7485 to the noble Lord, Lord West of Spithead.



Type 45 Destroyers
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Home Office

Science Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less Lethal Weapons

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to publish the reportthey received in December 2015 from the ScientificAdvisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons on the use of less-lethal weapons such as tasers; and if not, why not.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons' report was provided on request by the Home Office and police. It is not a formal assessment and was never intended as a public report and therefore has not been published. The key conclusions were communicated to all police forces in England and Wales by DAC Neil Basu.

Cycling: Road Traffic Offences

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the law governing cyclists is effectively enforced.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The enforcement of cycling offences is an operational matter for Chief Officers of police. This Government supports any action taken by the police to deter and reduce the number of cycling offences.

Housing: Fires

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many domestic fire deaths were recorded in (1) 2013, (2) 2014, and (3) 2015.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Data from the Fire Incident Recording System are published by financial year. There were 216, 195 and 229 fire-related fatalities in dwellings in England in financial years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively. The latest figures were published in August in the Fire Statistics Monitor, which can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fire-statistics-monitor-april-2015-to-march-2016 while detailed tables can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fire-statistics-data-tables

Rural Areas: Crime

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of rural crime on farmers and other rural businesses.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The 2015 Commercial Victimisation Survey found that 24 per cent of agriculture, forestry and fishing premises had experienced at least one incident of crime (excluding online crime) a statistically significant fall of six percentage points compared with the 2013 Survey. Vandalism, theft and burglary were the most common crime types experienced by this sector. On average there were 330 incidents of online crime per 1,000 premises in this sector, which is around a third of the incidence rate for ‘traditional’ crimes against this sector. The majority of online crime incidents involved computer viruses.